Car-coupling.



No. 846,898. f PATENIED MAR. 12, 190?v A. BERG.

-GAR GOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1o, 1906.

M www Mmmm@ y TINTTE@ STATES PATENT OPETOE,

ALBERT BERG, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN OR OF ONE- HALF TO ANANIAS D. MILLER, OF

MOUNT PLEASANT, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLENG.

Patented March 12, 1907.

Application filed February l0, 1906. Serial No. 300,490.

T0 all w/w'ml it nifty concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT BERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Pleasant, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings` The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car-couplings and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one designed for use on all kinds of cars and capable of coupling automatically and adapted to be readily uncoupled without going between the cars.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car-coupling having a knuckle of the Janney type, but also provided with an imperforate top, so that snow, ice, and other accumulation will not interfere with the operation of the mechanism for locking the knuckle in its closed position.

The invention also has for its object to provide a car-coupling in which the pivoted knuckle when unlocked will open automatically and remain in such position until posi-A tively closed and in which also the locking` mechanism will be maintained by the arm of the knuckle in position for automatically engaging the same when the knuckle closes.

NV ith these and other objects in view they invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in' the claims hereto appended, it being understood that'various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of construction Within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrihcing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing, Figure l is a horizontal sectional view of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention, the kiiuckle being closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the knuckle being open. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3 3 of E ig. l. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line l 4 of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the pivoted knuckle, the

saine being inverted to illustrate the arrange-r ment of the inclined edge at the bottom of the opening for the knuckle-pin. F ig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the knuckle pin or pivot. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

l designates a coupler or draw-head provided at one side with a guard-arm 2 of the ordinary construction and having at the opposite side upper and lower eyes 3 and 4, between which is pivoted a swinging knuckle 5. The swinging knuckle consists of an engaging portion or aw 6 and an arm 7 and it is provided at the inner end of the engaging portion or j aw with a vertical opening 8, through which passes a knuckle pin or pivot 9, which also passes through the upper and lower eyes 3 and 4 of the draw-head and which is designed to be permanently secured to the latter to prevent the car-coupling from being rendered useless and inoperative by a temporary removal of the knuckle-pin. The knuckle-pin is provided at the bottom of the draw-head with a plurality of inclined faces l0, which extend around the knuckle-pin approXimately one-third the circumference of the same to correspond with the opening and closing movements of the knuckle-pin and consisting of an outwardly-tapered camshaped flange which is formed integral with the knuckle-pin. The knuckle is provided at the bottom of the pivot-opening 8 with a series of tapered recesses ll, arranged concentric with the said pivot-opening 8 and forming a plurality of inclined edges or faces which correspond to the inclined faces of the knuckle-pin and which are adapted to rest upon the same. The inclined top walls or faces 11 are adapted to slide down the inclined faces of the knuckle-pin `when the knuckle is unlocked, as hereinafter eX- plained, whereby when the arm of the knuckle is released the knuckle will open automatically. The knuckle has a slight vertical movement on the knuckle-pin to permit it to ride up and down the inclined faces l0, and this vertical movement also enables the knuckle to swing freely in opening and closing. The kiiuc le-pin is provided at its lower end with a non-circular head or portion 13 of greater diameter than the opening S of ICO the knuckle, and the upper end of the knucklepin is also preferably provided with a head 14, which in practice is formed on the knuckle-pin when assembling the parts of the car-coupling and which permanently retains the knuckle-pin in the eyes of the drawhead. The non-circular portion or head 13 of the knuckle-pin has a substantially triangular extension 15, and the lower eye of the draw-head conformsto the configuration of the bottom portion of the knuckle-pin. The

polygonal or non-circular portion 13 lecks the knuckle-pin against rotary movement in the eyes of the draw-head. Any other polygonal or non-circular form of the bottom portion of the knuckle-pin will operate in a similar manner to prevent rotary movement of the knuckle-pin; but the general circular contour of the portion 13 provides a convenient support for the tapered iianges 10, which are formed at the upper face of the said portion 13. The heavy jaw or engaging portion 6 of the knuckle causes the same to open quickly when the arm is released, and the said arm is preferably curved, as shown, and is provided at the inner or rear end with lateral extensions or lugs 16 and 17. The lateral extension or lug 16 forms a projecting bill which engages the adjacent wall of the draw-head when the knuckle is closed, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The side wall 1S of the draw-head is thickened adjacent to the arm of the knuckle, and it forms an inner vertical shoulder 19, with which the said lug 16 interlocks when the knuckle is closed, whereby the knuckle-pin is relieved of strain and the knuckle is effectually prevented from being pulled out of the draw-head.

The knuckle is locked in its closed position by means of a vertical swinging arm or liange 20, which extends from the shaft 21, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The shaft 21 is journaled in suitable bearings of the opposite side walls of the draw-head and the arm or iiange 20, which is substantially rectangular, `hangs in a vertical position, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, when the knuckle is closed, and in this position it extends entirely across the space between the projecting lug or portion 17 and the opposite wall of the draw-head, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The side wall at the guard-arm 2 of the draw-head is provided with an enlargement or inwardly-extending ortion 22, which not only increases the length of the bearing 23 at one end of the shaft 21, but which also provides a vertical shoulder or wall against which the adjacent side edge of the arm 2() abuts. By this construction a locking device of great strength is provided, and there is no liability of the locking mechanism breaking under the strain to which it is subjected.

When the arm or flange 20 of the shaft 21 is swung'upward to a point above the arm of the knuckle, the latter opens automatically through gravity and the arm 2O is supported in an elevated position by the projecting bill or lug 16, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, whereby the parts are maintained in position for automatic coupling. When the knuckle is swung inward from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, which movement is effected when two cars come together for coupling, the arm of the knuckle is moved laterally from its supporting position beneath flange 20, and the latter drops by gravity to the vertical position shown in Fig. 3 and automatically locks the knuckle in its closed position. The closing movement of the locking` mechanism is rendered more positive by means of an arm 24, arranged at one end of the shaft at the eX- terior of the draw-head and adapted to be connected with any suitable operatingmechanism for enabling the operation of uncoupling to be effected without going betweenthe cars. The projecting arm 24 extends upward in a vertical position from the shaft when the locking-arm 2O is in substantially a horizontal position and is supported by the arm of the knuckle. When the locking-arm swings downward, as hereinbefore explained, the operating-arm is also carried downward, and its weight assists in maintaining the locking-arm in a vertical position against a rear stop 25, projecting from the enlargement 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, but any other suitable means may be employed for limiting the downward and rearward swing of the locking-arm 20 of the shaft 21.

rl`he bearing 23 has a circular' opening to 'receive the adjacent end of the shaft 21,

which is locked in the bearings of the drawhead by a key 26, which passes through a perforation of the shaft 21, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The opposite side of the draw-head is provided with a slot or opening 27 of substantially the shape of a keyhole. The slot 27 consists of a round bearing portion 28 and a narrow horizontal portion of a vertical width less than the diameter of the bearing portion. The thickness of the lockingarm or flange 20 is slightly less than the diameter of the shaft, and the slot 2 7 conforms to the configuration of the shaft and the locking-arm and forms an entrance-opening to permit the shaft and the locking-arm to be introduced into and removed from the draw-head. As the slot 27 is in a horizontal position, it is necessary to swing the locking-arm 2O upward in orderd to arrange it in alinement with the said slot. The top of the draw-head in rear of the eyes 3 and 4 is imperforate, so that snow and ice are excluded from the interior of the draw-head to prevent such accumulation from interfering with the operation of the locking mechanism.

loo

IIO

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by i Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head havinga polygonal eye, a knucklepin mounted on the draw-head and provided with a polygonal portion fitting in the said polygonal eye, whereby the knuckle-pin is interlocked with the draw-head and held against rotary movement, said knuckle-pin being also provided with an integral tapering Vflange extending around a portion of the periphery of the pin and presenting an upper inclined face, and a swinging knuckle pivoted to the draw-head by the knuckle-pin and having a limited vertical movement, said knuckle being also provided with a recess forming an inclined edge or wall, which rests upon the inclined face of the knuckle-pin to cause the knuckle to open automatically.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having' upper and lower eyes, the lower eye being polygonal, a knuckle-pin arranged in the eyes and provided at its top with means for engaging the top of the drawhead, said knuckle-pin also having a lower polygonal portion to iit the lower eye of the draw-'head and provided at the upper face of the said polygonal portion with an outwardlytapered integral ilange curved concentric with the knuckle-pin and presenting an inclined upper face, and a swinging knuckle having' an opening to receive the knuckle-pin and provided at the bottom with a recess forming an inclined wall, which rests upon the inclined upper face of the flange oi the knuckle-pin. l

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a l draw-head having upper and lower eyes, the

lower eye being polygonal, a knuckle-pin arranged in the eyes and having a lower polygonal portion to lit the lower eye and provided at the upper face of the said polygonal portion with an outwardly-tapered flange presenting an inclined upper face, and a swinging knuckle having an opening to receive the knuckle-pin and provided at the bottom with a recess forming an inclined face, which rests upon the inclined upper face of the ilange of the knuckle-pin, said knuckle-pin being provided at the top with means for engaging the draw-head, and the lower polygonal portions being of greater diameter than the opening ofthe knuckle to engage the latter.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having upper and lower eyes, a knuckle-pin arranged in the eyes and having a lower and enlarged portion provided with a tapering extension adapted to engage the bottom of the draw-head to hold the knucklepin against rotary movement, said knucklepin being also provided at the upper face of the enlarged portion with a plurality of curved iianges tapered outwardly and presenting' inclined Lipper faces, and a knuckle having an opening to receive the knuckle-pin 'and provided at the bottom with a series of tapering recesses forming inclined faces, which rest upon the inclined faces of the knuckle-pin. l

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT BERG.

Witnesses:

J. LLOYD KALP, CLYDE KALP. 

